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To Estimate

It would appear that I have grossly overestimated the amount of "spring" cleaning I will get through in the week before Christmas and grossly underestimated the time it would take me to do each chore.

However, I determined when I began that I was going to enjoy every step of the process, especially since it's probably been a whole year since I got to putter and explore and clean and investigate every nook and cranny that speaks of home. And despite tiredness and aching muscles (including some muscles I didn't know existed) there has been a huge sense of accomplishment in ticking items off my list (which apparently firmly establishes me as an eldest child).

There have been some funny moments. As when three of The Most Adorable Granddaughters (#4 - #6) arrived as I was cleaning my living room which floor was covered with photos, mementoes, and other paraphernalia. The look of shock on their faces and their exclamations of "What a mess!" showed that this wasn't the Nana they were used to.

As more and more items get marked off and I gaze out clean windows (for a change), enjoy glowing timber furniture (according to Son#2 I'm the last generation to bother with polishing timber with beeswax - homemade no less), marvel at cupboards where everything has its place (for how long I wonder), view an oven clean and shining (which will only stay that way until we cook the turkey on Christmas Day [Um, try one hour. As I was making pavlova with The Most Adorable Granddaughters#1 - #3 I spilt egg whites all down the front. Thank you to The Most Adorable Granddaughter#1 who voluntarily cleaned it for me]), and delight in touches I've added to make my house a home, I know it's all worth it.

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